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Taiwan hit hard by SARSMissing China data worries WHO
TAIPEI, Taiwan -- All train passengers in Taiwan have been ordered to wear masks as of Sunday, as the island recorded its highest one-day rise in SARS infections and four new deaths. Like much of mainland China across the strait, Taiwan is struggling to contain the spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome. Taiwanese health officials on Saturday announced 23 new SARS cases -- the highest number yet for a single day. The total now stands at 172. As Taiwan turned up the heat in its battle against the infectious disease, Hong Kong, one of the hardest hit regions in the world, was bouyed by another day of single digit new cases. The territory on Saturday announced two deaths and seven new cases, bringing the toll to 212 dead from 1,674 infections. On mainland China, five new fatalities were reported on Saturday -- two of them in Beijing -- raising its death toll to 235. The capital, which accounts for nearly half of China's 4,890 cases of infection, had 54 new cases. In Taipei, the World Health Organization (WHO) said the disease was spreading among people not known to have had contact with those who had it. Earlier, officials had been able to quickly trace and isolate those infected -- many of whom had recently visited China or Hong Kong. But SARS has begun spreading rapidly within Taiwan's general community, making it harder to stop. Taipei city officials ordered all passengers on the capital's subway train to wear masks beginning Sunday. Also Saturday, the U.S. State Department said SARS concerns had prompted it to authorize "the voluntary departure of family members and non-emergency personnel" at its offices in the capital, Taipei, and the second largest city, Kaohsiung. Shoppers found the doors closed at one of Taipei's largest department stores Saturday as managers ordered a major cleanup after an employee contracted SARS, The Associated Press reported. About 175 employees have been quarantined at the Pacific Sogo Department Store following the May 3 hospitalization of a cashier with SARS -- but the store had remained open for business. Also in Taipei, the city government evacuated 107 residents of the Huachang Public Housing Complex Saturday after it was sealed off Friday. Missing data
Beijing has yet to explain how half its SARS patients caught the virus and the lack of information is seriously hampering World Health Organization experts trying to stop the spread of the contagious flu-like illness, a WHO spokeswoman said Saturday. The WHO is still trying to figure out why Beijing does not have the data, or "contact reports," that help trace how a patient became infected with SARS, WHO spokeswoman Mangai Balasegaram told AP. "Right now the situation is that we have a whole load of people, and we don't know where they got the disease," she said. "The epidemic might be flying off in one direction, and you might not know about it." "We don't understand what's happening, but it's a huge a concern that it's happening," she said. Balasegaram said the lack of information might have to do with bad reporting. She said that some hospitals might have inadvertently failed to file complete reports. It might also mean that the often-deadly illness is changing, she said. "It's just a whole load of unknowns," she said. Also Saturday, the main Communist Party newspaper said the outbreak will not delay the launch of China's first manned spacecraft -- an event reportedly set for this year. The report added to signs of growing official determination to keep SARS from disrupting the economy and other key activities. Worldwide, SARS has killed 526 people and infected about 7,200 others. In other developments: • The Philippines government protests a WHO move to reclassify it as a country where there is medium-level local transmission of SARS, saying it was hurting its tourism industry. • Singapore plans to start electronically tracking every person entering a public hospital in an effort to curb the spread of SARS. • Hong Kong is looking for public relations professionals to prepare an image boosting campaign as it seeks ways to revive its SARS-stricken economy. Also in Hong Kong, doctors say they have adjusted their standard SARS treatment, delaying the use of steroids. • German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder and a delegation of aides seeking to improve business relations with Southeast Asia have departed for a four-nation tour that will include stops in Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and Vietnam. Copyright 2003 CNN. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Associated Press contributed to this report.
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